Wasps

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Best Methods for Controlling your Pest

DIY or professional:

• Some wasp nests are in positions that are easy to deal with on a DIY basis, but, be warned, take great care and do not tackle wasp nests from upon ladders.
• If you are in any doubt about your ability, or concerned about the dangerous position of a nest, get in the professionals.

Just because you find a nest does not mean it has to be destroyed. If the wasps are not posing a danger to your family or customers you could simply leave them to get on with life. All except the queens will be dead before winter and they will not re-use the same nest next year. Most of the queens will die or be predated on over winter so you don't have to destroy a nest.

If you do have to destroy a nest:

• ensure that you have adequate protective clothing, including a beekeepers veil to prevent wasps attacking your face
• think long and hard before tackling a wasp nest above 2m off the ground - for safety issues

When approaching a wasp nest:

• do so in the late evening when activity around the nest is quiet. Remember though that activity is quiet because all the wasps are inside, so don't provoke an attack
• approach the nest from the side, not from directly to the front. Wasps generally go to and from the nest on established flight paths which are mostly directly to the front and top, or bottom of the nest site
• move and do everything slowly and do not breath heavily towards the nest. They will smell your breath  and it may excite them
• if you follow this advice, you will be able to approach quite close without the wasps being aware of your presence
• the danger comes when you apply your chosen insecticide, whether it be spray or dust
• apply the product swiftly and accurately then make a controlled retreat to a safe distance
• the wasps will immediately start to exit the nest and swarm around the entrance searching for the intruder
• if you have applied a dust, they will contact the dust as they leave and re-enter the nest so speading the dust to the inside of the nest

Your choice of treatments:

It depends where the nest is situated; generally the nest is in one of four locations:

• hanging in a tree, bush or shed with the whole, or the majority of the nest visible
• in an accessable loftspace where you can see the whole of one side of the nest
• in an inaccessible place such as behind the sofit or bargeboard of a building
• underground with the only entrance hole visible

Where the nest is accessible, visible and easy and safe to reach:

• arm yourself with a spray tin of Keen Flying Insect Killer plus a tin of Rentokil Wasp Nest Foam
• ensure you are well protected with suitable clothing, gloves and a veil.
• approach slowly and carefully at a time when there is the least amount of activity around the nest
• if it is dark and you have to use a torch, don't shine the torch directly on the nest and ensure you have planned your access and escape route in advance
• don't hold the torch next to your body, if the occasional wasp does come out and attack, it will direct it's attack at the torch so you don't want to be holding it if possible
• plan to be able to complete the whole exercise within a couple of minutes. Most wasp nests don't take longer than this to treat, but beware of the big nests, they can be much more difficult to treat quickly and effectively
• briefly test your sprays before attempting the job so you know the range of the spray. Usually an effective distance is about three metres
• get yourself quietly into position and spray the nest all over with the Keen Flying Insect Killer, 5-10 seconds should do. That will quickly get rid of the wasps that will be crawling over the outside of the nest on guard duty.
• quickly take up your tin of Rentokil Wasp Nest Foam and thoroughly spray the entire nest to ensure all visible parts are well coated with the foam, 10 to 15 seconds should be enough
• ideally you should be in a position to get the spray into the nest entrance, but if you can't, don't worry because it seems to do the job just with the outside covered with foam
• depart quickly but quietly, don't panic just because there might be a wasp or two zinging about provided you are well wrapped up you should be OK
• it may take up to 12 hours for all activity to stop around the nest. If it doesn't, go in and give it another dose.

Don't be put off by this long set if instructions, I have outlined this procedure in detail but most of the preparation goes on before by getting the plan of action right. The actual job will be over in only a couple of minutes for a smallish nest.

Remember, plan carefully, wrap up well, move slowly, execute the job quickly and take all due care.

Where the nest is inacessible or underground:

• arm yourself with a puffer pack of Residex P Dust together with either a dust puffer with an extention or a long cane with a spoon tied to the end
• ensure you are well protected with suitable clothing, gloves and a veil.
• approach slowly and carefully at a time when there is the least amount of activity around the nest
  
• if it is dark and you have to use a torch, don't shine the torch directly at the nest entrance and ensure you have planned your access and escape route in advance
  
• don't hold the torch next to your body, if the occasional wasp does come out and attack, it will direct it's attack at the torch so you don't want to be holding it if possible
  
• plan to be able to complete the whole exercise within a couple of minutes. Most wasp nests don't take longer than this to treat with powder, but beware of the big nests
• get yourself quietly into position and slowly deposit or puff a good dose of powder into the entrance of the nest. Don't pile in so much that it stops the wasps leaving the nest; they need to be able to go in and out of the nest in order to be able to transport the powder into the heart of the nest and thereby kill all the grubs and the queen inside
• activity around the nest should cease after abour 12 hours, but if it continues - as it might if it was a large colony, without seeing the nest you don't know it's size - just repeat the dose and that should finish it.

Don't be put off by this long set if instructions, I have outlined this procedure in detail but most of the preparation goes on before by getting the plan of action right. The actual job will be over in only a couple of minutes.

Remember, plan carefully, wrap up well, move slowly, execute the job quickly and take all due care.

 Use pesticides safely and always read and understand the label